The Urban Environment, Essay Example

Developing into an urban environment is one of the major things that most cities strive for. Attaining a global city status often require high levels of commitment towards development and strong political and economic will. The lack of these particular elements of progress specifically makes a distinct impact on how a city and its people develop towards further assumptions of progress. This particular truth is the fact depicted in the presentation of the urban setting in Rio de Janeiro’s Cidade de Deus through the 2002 award winning movie City of God. Created and produced for public understanding on what slum living is all about, the film was able to capture particular realities on how the situation in an urbanized location could actually affect the living condition of the people and vice versa.

Urban slum and the physical environment in the urban centers are largely contributed by various economic and social factors. These factors revolve around the industrialization aspects as well as integration of various cultures worldwide. One of the major things that have led to urban slum is the migration of people from the rural regions in search of jobs and better livelihood (Chp 13:399). This was distinctively seen in the movie as several members of the community from the rural areas were notably presented to have decided to come to the city and find a better source of living in there. Hoping to get a good job to suffice both personal and familial needs, members of the rural community chose to settle in particular areas that may not have been dedicated to anyone among the original settlers of the city. Such people are often of great diversity hence causing the development of urban slum. Finding shelter is not an easy task especially for the people who come into the area without any job. While looking for a good source of income, some settle for areas that were not actually intended as residential zones. In Cidad de Deus, such picture was very rampant in most of the settings used in the movie. Showing particularly populated areas where homes are made out of weak materials, people were shown to have settled for what could be the best for them. Looking for a practical space to live in did not actually include luxury anymore; so long as the people could call one place as their home, then they could settle for any type of shelter.

In most urban environments, governments often provide individuals with housing, especially those that are employed with the same (Chp 13: 340). However, in most cases, the housing provided by the government is never sufficient due to the high population in the urban places. Many governments often strive to offer their support to the ever growing population, however the number has become overwhelming and the states cannot support such cities anymore. Poor housing has led to urban slums with people living in very vulnerable conditions. As a result of the same, the health status in such cities has largely depreciated since the available resources cannot comfortably support the available population.

Despite the status of a global city, certain things are still eminent. Some of these include urban crime and formation of young gangs. Most of these are attributed to the high levels of unemployment in the city. The urban environment is normally very promising and attracts many people from the rural areas. Most of these people come from diverse backgrounds and are normally capable of doing any form of atrocity. Seemingly, as depicted in the movie, Rio de Janeiro’s overall population could be considered successful, however, for those who become accustomed to the slum living, getting a good job was a gold mine; this is the reason why for those who are unemployed, it has become their mandate to parasitically depend on those who are able to earn money through utilizing authority and violence just to be able to get by in a day (Killian, 2010). Some others who cannot find a job make opportunities of their own; sadly, some of the said opportunities include drug dealing, a distinct element of disturbance in the community that is shown through the movie’s entire plot.

As noted in the City of God, gangs and other violent groups often comprise of young people who decide to make gang life their way of living. These are common and some of the greatest consequences of large population as well as development of industries without adequate job opportunities. Starting the story from the Tender Trio [a small gang of three individuals noted for robbing the fortunate to give to the less fortunate members of their community], the film depicted how wrong desires and motivations grew into the development of other particular gangs that are dedicated to sufficing their own demands and distinct desires in life (Killian, 2010).

Another distinct element shown in the movie is the fact that most urban environments consist of people from diverse backgrounds hence a mixture of many cultures. In a multicultural system, most often there is poor mobility or growth or a given culture. The interaction normally leads to development of a particular culture that is unique to the people within that setting. Economic mobility is equally not easy in such an environment. Most urban settings have high population versus low employment rates; this economic imbalance often leads to stunted growth and paralysis of the economy. Political factors also contribute to such; such political factors include unequal distribution of wealth among the cities hence improper management. Even within the gangs presented in the movie, a high rate of diversity among the members caused several commotions along the way causing one of them to get killed due to particular misunderstandings with other members and with the police force as well.

The social network is also distinct depending on the social classes available in the region. The middle class often mingle with the middle class and the low class relatively mingles with fellow low class. There are various channels of communication in the urban settings hence people utilize hem. A number of things also foster social interactions in urban areas. These include the use of social amenities such as hospitals, schools and other things like same market places. These foster social interactions between people living in such urban settings. One specific matter that sets the youths depicted in the movie of the City of God apart from others is that most of them have not received basic and necessary foundation of education and learning; this basically affects their perception and opportunities in acquiring better lives than the ones they are living in. In any urban setting, education holds a great relevance. Most urban environments have educational facilities to train people on various knowledge and skills that will enable them survive. Such trainings equip them to be productive within the urban economy and well a versed with the various job opportunities available. Due to lack of education, the young ones settle for what they think would be able to give them a better chance to life, a gang, an easy-to-earn process of working [whether or not it is illegal] and a sense of belongingness that seemingly ‘completes’ their being as members of a particular community that recognizes their existence. Lost in their way, the movie has shown how youths who are born into a weak urban setting could become the cause of the distinct social commotion that involves violence, crime and the desperation over the situations that life presents to them.

Works Cited

Cities in a Developing World (Chapter 13): Assigned Reading. (399-401).

Fox, Killian (19 October 2010). “City of God: No 6 best action movie and war film of all time | Film | The Guardian”. The Guardian